Category Archives: Nature Photography

A Denver museum said it will close a section devoted to Native Americans because the decades-old exhibit is problematic and “reinforces harmful stereotypes.”

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science shared a letter shared with members that said the North American Indian Cultures Hall perpetuates a “white, dominant culture” and will be shuttered this summer.

The hall was created in the 1970s in collaboration with Indigenous representatives, the museum’s vice president of exhibitions wrote in the letter, according to 9News.

Even though Indigenous people helped create the hall, museum officials say it still fails to rise above “harmful stereotypes.”

“Despite collaboration with Indigenous representatives during its creation and ongoing efforts by curators, conservators, and others to update and improve various parts of the Hall, we acknowledge that it remains problematic,” the vice president, Liz Davis, wrote.

© Provided by New York Post

The Denver Museum of Nature & Science says will close its North American Indian Cultures Hall this summer.Denver Museum of Nature and Science

“We understand that the Hall reinforces harmful stereotypes and white, dominant culture.”

A description of the exhibit says visitors were able to view “authentic reconstructed dwellings, including an Inuit snow house, a Northwest Coast clan house, a Navajo hogan, and a Cheyenne tipi,” as well as craft weavings, baskets, beadwork and pottery.

Museum-goers were also able to listen to audio stories and view videos while wandering through the exhibit.

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The Denver Museum of Nature & Science released a healing statement in collaboration with Indigenous consultants. Google Maps

“To acknowledge the harm we have caused, we have developed and agreed upon a healing statement in collaboration with Indigenous consultants, and with input and guidance from conversations with community members. The statement was crafted after taking into account the concerns expressed by the community, and in direct response to those concerns,” Davis said in the letter.

The healing statement has been installed at the start of the North American Indian Cultures exhibit hall, as well as online.

“Together with Indigenous community members, we will reimagine exhibition curation, collecting, programming and conservation practices with respect to Indigenous culture, heritage and belongings. We recognize that there is more work to be done, and we are committed to working with, and for, community members as we move forward in reimagining our practices,” the letter continued.

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Some museum-goers welcomed the change, while others questioned why it was necessary.James Florio Photography / Denver Art Museum

The news was met with mixed feedback by Museum-goers online, leaving some wondering why the whole exhibit has to be scrapped instead of just re-imagined.

Others applauded the Museum, noting the news made them happy to hear.

“Will you reimagine this exhibit? I’ve always enjoyed looking at this exhibit because I loved the craftmanship of the textiles etc. I’d love to see this come back in a new and exciting way!” one Facebook user wrote.

Others questioned whether items inside the hall would be returned to Indigenous families or reservations.

“Has the museum considered returning the collections to the tribes to which they belong?” one person wrote.

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It’s unclear when the exhibit will officially close. Denver Museum of Nature & Science

Some on social media lamented seeing a favorite museum attraction go, commenting under the Museum’s Facebook post, “I love this exhibit and am sad to see it go.” Others chimed in saying it was “fantastic news.”

While the hall will be closing at some point this summer, the museum has not said when a redesigned exhibit can be expected to be unveiled.

© Richard Drew/AP
In this 1976 file photo, pop artist Andy Warhol smiles in New York. The Supreme Court on Thursday, May 18, 2023, sided with a photographer who claimed Warhol violated her copyright on a photograph of the singer Prince. (AP Photo/Richard Drew, File)

The Supreme Court on Thursday sided with a photographer who claimed the late Andy Warhol should have honored her copyright on a photo of the rock star Prince when creating an iconic artistic image of the late singer.

Justice Sonia Sotomayor wrote for the court majority in the 7-2 decision, which legal experts said could carry far-reaching implications for copyright protection and so-called transformative art. The issue is the legal doctrine called “fair use,” which encourages artistic expression by allowing for the use of protected works without the original creator’s permission.

But Sotomayor wrote that an important factor to consider is whether the copying work comes with a competing commercial purpose. Both photographer Lynn Goldsmith and the Andy Warhol Foundation were selling their images to magazines.

“Goldsmith’s original photograph of Prince, and AWF’s copying use of that photograph in an image licensed to a special edition magazine devoted to Prince, share substantially the same purpose, and the use is of a commercial nature,” Sotomayor wrote. “AWF has offered no other persuasive justification for its unauthorized use of the photograph.”

Justices Clarence Thomas, Samuel A. Alito Jr., Neil M. Gorsuch, Amy Coney Barrett and Ketanji Brown Jackson joined the opinion, which also said: “Lynn Goldsmith’s original works, like those of other photographers, are entitled to copyright protection, even against famous artists.”

The case now returns to a lower court, where Goldsmith can press for damages.

Justice Elena Kagan parted ways with Sotomayor, a fellow liberal, writing a lengthy critique of what she indicated was a wrong-headed and uninformed decision that “will impede new art and music and literature” and “make our world poorer.”

“In declining to acknowledge the importance of transformative copying, the Court today, and for the first time, turns its back on how creativity works,” Kagan wrote, joined by Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr.

The justices were considering whether the estate of Warhol, who died in 1987, violated copyright law by selling to Vanity Fair magazine an illustration based on a silk-screen portrait of Prince. The image was derived from Goldsmith’s photo of the musician, but it was used without her permission, credit or payment.

A federal district judge in New York said Warhol’s work created something new, a transformation within the “fair use” exception to the law. But the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit said Goldsmith could press her claim and warned that judges should stay in their lanes.

“The district judge should not assume the role of art critic and seek to ascertain the intent behind or meaning of the works at issue,” the court said. “That is so both because judges are typically unsuited to make aesthetic judgments and because such perceptions are inherently subjective.”

Goldsmith took the portrait of Prince in the early 1980s. Vanity Fair commissioned Warhol to create an illustration for a 1984 article on Prince and obtained a license from Goldsmith, paying her $400 so Warhol could use the photo as an artistic reference. He changed certain aspects of the photo and created for the magazine what is now called “Purple Fame.” Warhol also created 16 silk-screens called the Prince Series, some of which are owned by private collectors and others of which hang in museums.

© Supreme Court Brief for Respondents/Supreme Court Brief for Respondents
The case Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, Inc. v. Lynn Goldsmith centers on these images of the late artist Prince.

When Prince died in 2016, Vanity Fair’s parent company, Condé Nast, paid more than $10,000 to the Warhol Foundation for another version, Orange Prince, to illustrate a commemorative magazine. When Goldsmith complained she had not been paid for her photo, the foundation sued her, and a legal battle began.

“I am thrilled by today’s decision and thankful to the Supreme Court for hearing our side of the story,” Goldsmith said in a statement. “This is a great day for photographers and other artists who make a living by licensing their art.”

Joel Wachs, president of The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts, said the foundation “respectfully” disagrees with the court’s ruling that “the 2016 licensing of Orange Prince was not protected by the fair use doctrine.”

But he said he was glad the court clarified its decision is limited to the sale of the image to Condé Nast, and “does not question the legality of Andy Warhol’s creation of the Prince Series in 1984.”

At oral argument, the justices were engaged and at times playful in trying to decipher the legal issues at stake. But the result was what the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg might have termed a “spicy” disagreement between Sotomayor and Kagan, who joined the court within a year of each other and are usually allies.

Both opinions featured caustic comebacks and color photographs of work by Goldsmith, other photographers and iconic works by Warhol, who Kagan wrote has “earned his conspicuous place in every college’s Art History 101.”

That wasn’t the point, countered Sotomayor, although she added that Goldsmith was a “trailblazer” as well. “Goldsmith’s work appeared in Life, Time, Rolling Stone, and People magazines, not to mention the National Portrait Gallery and the Museum of Modern Art,” Sotomayor wrote. “She captured some of the 20th century’s greatest rock stars: Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Patti Smith, Bruce Springsteen, and, as relevant here, Prince.”

Sotomayor did not dispute that Warhol’s work was transformative, but wrote that he also “paid to license photographs for some of his artistic renditions.” Such licenses “are how photographers like Goldsmith make a living. They provide an economic incentive to create original works, which is the goal of copyright.”

The justice noted that other transformative works by Warhol, such as his famous silk-screens of a Campbell Soup can, were commentaries on society, as opposed to a commercial enterprise to sell soup. And in a concurring opinion, Gorsuch said if the foundation was displaying the Prince series “in a nonprofit museum or a for-profit book commenting on 20th-century art, the purpose and character of that use might well point to fair use.”

Kagan said the majority literally didn’t get it. “There is precious little evidence in today’s opinion that the majority has actually looked at these images, much less that it has engaged with expert views of their aesthetics and meaning.”

Sotomayor, in turn, labeled Kagan’s dissent “a series of misstatements and exaggerations,” from its “very first sentence … to its very last.”

Kagan’s comment that the world will be poorer as a result of the decision, Sotomayor wrote, “will not age well.”

The case is Andy Warhol Foundation v. Goldsmith.

CARLSBAD, CA — Patch reader Joshua Armstrong captured this photo of a cat named Pearl at Ponto Beach in Carlsbad.

Thanks for sharing!

If you have an awesome picture of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch.

We’re looking for high-resolution, horizontal images that reflect the beauty that is San Diego County, and that show off your unique talents.

Send your photos to [email protected]. Be sure to include photo credit information, when and where the shot was taken, and any other details about what was going on.

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Next month, Brasov will host the first edition of a special photography and documentary film festival that puts the spotlight on nature. Scheduled for June 1-5, LYNX Festival is the first event of its kind in Romania and aims to raise awareness of nature’s importance in people’s lives.

The program includes screenings of acclaimed nature documentaries, photography exhibitions, children’s activities, and documentary film and photography workshops. The event will also have special international guests and host meetings with local artists.

Ten documentaries have been included in the festival’s lineup, among them The Elephant and the Termite (directed by Mark Deeble and Victoria Stone), Deep in the Heart: A Texas Wildlife Story (director Ben Masters), Lynx (director Laurent Geslin), and My Octopus Teacher (directed by Pippa Ehrlich and James Reed).

There will also be special events and activities for kids, including a special documentary screening, the escape tent – where the little ones will have the opportunity to fight to save the planet, a Quiz with prizes, as well as birdwatching and nature interpretation activities.

At the same time, nature and documentary film enthusiasts can participate in two dedicated events during the festival, namely a masterclass on industry trends and the importance of involvement in nature conservation projects, as well as a photography workshop supported by specialists in this field.

In addition, during and after the festival, the public can visit two nature photography exhibitions, indoors and outdoors.

One of this year’s special guests is Ellen Windemuth, producer of My Octopus Teacher and CEO of WaterBear – the first interactive streaming platform dedicated to the future of our planet.

Entry to the first edition is free of charge, subject to available seats. To book a seat at documentary screenings, which will take place at Cinema Astra, the interested public can reserve a zero-value ticket here.

LYNX Festival is an initiative of Wild Romania (Romania Salbatica) Association and the FORONA Association. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of nature in people’s lives and create an opportunity for meeting and interaction between the general nature-loving public, film and photography professionals, and representatives of environmental NGOs.

Dan Dinu, the festival’s artistic director, said: “The idea of this festival was born while participating with the Wild Romania film in festivals […]. We realized that some very good films that make it to such events would never be present in our country, and it would be a shame not to be seen by the Romanian public. Adding photography came naturally, especially since these two fields complement each other.”

The Wild Romania (Romania Salbatica) initiative was born in 2010 as an idea of nature photographer Dan Dinu. Some of its projects include the largest documentary about Romania’s nature launched in 2021 and multi-awarded in national and international festivals, numerous special educational screenings, photography exhibitions, a unique photo album printed in 9,000 copies (of which approximately 10% were donated to support education), a mobile app with over 5,000 users, and an interactive online community of nearly 150,000 users. It took the form of an association in 2022, aiming to preserve nature by informing and educating people with the help of photography and documentary film.

FORONA (Organization of Nature Photographers from Romania) was founded in 2015 with the aim of developing and promoting the field of nature photography and supporting the conservation of natural areas. Some of the most well-known and appreciated local photographers belong to the association, and the more than 130 members are involved in various nature conservation projects.

[email protected]

(Photo source: the organizers)

YOSEMITE NATIONAL PARK, CA — Snow melt is underway in the Sierra Nevada mountains, with flooding reported in Yosemite National Park again this week. The good news for waterfall chasers is that waterfalls are putting on an epic display this year. Adriane Lee captured this photo of Yosemite Falls on May 7.

Thank you for sharing your photo, Adriane!

If you have an awesome photo of nature, breath-taking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny, or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch.

We’re looking for high-resolution images that reflect the beauty and fun that is Northern California, and that show off your unique talents.

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The lawsuit involving Miami Commissioner Joe Carollo was thrown into disarray Wednesday morning when the federal judge overseeing the case briefly threatened to send the commissioner’s attorneys to prison over a photo that was taken inside the courtroom.

Taking pictures inside federal courtrooms is strictly prohibited and U.S. District Court Judge Rodney Smith was livid when one showed up in a filing from Carollo’s attorneys, Ben Kuehne, Mason Pertnoy and Marc Sarnoff.

The picture, which the judge said was included in a sealed document and never shown in court, apparently showed an attorney for the Little Havana businessmen suing Carollo talking to a media member in Smith’s courtroom. Smith did not name them or six other people also shown in the photo, which he said was taken by another attorney, Jesse Stolow, who is part of the defense team and had been attending the proceedings.

“This is one of the most egregious reprehensible disrespectful actions you could make against this court. It requires prison time. We will see how it can be avoided,” Smith said. “I’ve never seen something like this in my life. What happens here sets a precedent.”

Smith vented his concerns early Wednesday morning before jurors were summoned in the trial, which is in its sixth week. Carollo is fighting a federal civil suit by two Little Havana businessmen who claim he “weaponized” city resources and used code enforcement officers and police to try and destroy several of their business ventures. The men, WIlliam “Bill” Fuller and Martin Pinilla, say the commissioner set his sights on them after they threw support behind one of his opponents in a commission race in 2017.

Smith said the photo violated rules designed to protect national security and federal judges, referencing a 2020 case where a disgruntled “anti-feminist” lawyer targeted a female judge in New Jersey in 2020. He wound up killing the judge’s son and wounding her husband before killing himself at the judge’s family home. The photo in question was included in a sealed filing from Carollo’s defense team. The nature of the filing wasn’t immediately clear but Carollo’s attorneys had previously filed a number of mistrial requests, which the judge has denied.

After a 15-minute recess, Smith returned to the bench and told Carollo’s attorneys that he was recommending they take a deal that included not practicing in the federal court in the Southern District of Florida for the next two years. He then recessed the matter for 30 days and said if the court does not reach an agreement with the attorneys, he’d set a hearing date in about 90 days. That allowed Carollo’s attorneys to continue representing him in the ongoing trial.

Before continuing with the trial, Stolow, who’s only been practicing for 13 months but is working with the Carollo defense team , got a brief chance to address Smiith. He said he was “deeply sorry for my actions.”

“I was unaware it was included [in the sealed document] until yesterday,” he told the judge. “Your honor, I’m very sorry and I will never do it again.”

Wednesday’s admonishment of the attorneys was just latest in a series of bizarre events that have marred the lengthy federal trial that began April 10.

The first week, after an historic rainstorm parked over Fort Lauderdale for a day, the court’s electrical system was damaged the trial had to be moved to Miami’s downtown federal courthouse. There, after testifying against Carollo, former Miami Police Chief Art Acevedo was tailed by two cars from the courthouse to a Coral Gables restaurant. Police spoke with the two private investigators who followed Art Acevedo. But it remains unclear why they did so.

The trial moved back to the Fort Lauderdale federal courthouse last week after the electricity was repaired, but the elevators remain on the blink and jurors have to walk up to the second floor each day.

After Wednesday’s morning discussion with the attorneys, jurors were called into the courtoom and the trial continued with the defense calling witnesses. First up was Miami Assistant City Attorney Rachel Dooley, who testified that to her knowledge Carollo never ordered anyone in the city to go after Fuller and Pinilla. Her testimony was expected to continue after lunch and be followed by Miami City Manager Art Noriega.

Originally published May 17, 2023 at 7:57 AM

© Stephanie Pinkerton/Sparkle Pink Photography
Jack and Amy celebrating their 25th anniversary under a dramatic sky.

A couple from Indiana were treated to a magical display of nature after a rare cloud formation filled the sky during a photo shoot for their 25th anniversary.

Photographer Stephanie Pinkerton of Sparkle Pink Photography, who was doing the shoot, said she has never seen a sky like this one in her entire career.

“Upon arriving to our session inside of the Indiana Dunes National Park, we noticed a very dark line of clouds just starting to come into view in the distance,” Pinkerton told Newsweek. “There was a chance of rain later that evening, but as we all know, weather often has its own plans when you live in what we call the Midwest.

“I had no idea that in 30 minutes the sky would unfold in the incredible way that it did,” she said.

As her clients, Jack and Amy, danced in the sand, Pinkerton took out her camera. “I was in complete shock and awe as I shot and stopped to take it all in as the mammatus clouds took over the sky,” she said. “A true once in a lifetime shot, a moment we were able to take in together. That is the pure beauty of my job.”

Mammatus clouds are one of the most unusual and distinctive cloud formations to grace our skies. They usually form in association with cumulonimbus storm clouds as a result of turbulence, according to the U.K.’s Meteorological Office, the national weather service. This turbulence can cause the air inside the storm clouds to sink, producing pouch-like protrusions at their base.

Mystery Cloud Throws Istanbul Into Darkness

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These protrusions may be subtle, like aerial bubble wrap, or more pronounced, like the udders of a cow. (Hence the name mammatus, from the Latin word mamma, meaning udder or breast.)

Cloud formations like this are fleeting, lasting only 10 to 15 minutes at a time, according to the website EarthSky.

Pinkerton, who has worked as a photographer for over 10 years, said, “I can say with complete confidence the shots I have taken at the Indiana Dunes have been my most proud moments, and this sky is now going to be very hard to compare to.”

She continued: “What we do as photographers is done with true passion and the drive to convey a fleeting moment in life. I hope more stop to enjoy these small moments as they unfold and appreciate the little details all around you. I am so lucky to travel all over and meet so many kind and uniquely beautiful people along the way.”

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© Miyo Burnett
Long stemmed pink roses.

SAN LEANDRO, CA — Gardeners in San Leandro are being rewarded for their hard work, sometimes years in the making. Miyo Burnett’s beautiful pink roses bloomed just in time for Mother’s Day.

Thank you for sharing, Miyo!

If you have an awesome photo of nature, breath-taking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny, or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch.

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The article Pink Roses From The Garden: Photo Of The Day appeared first on San Leandro Patch.

LAKESIDE, CA — Patch editor Kristina Houck captured this photo of ducks at Lindo Lake County Park in Lakeside.

We want to see your photos!

If you have an awesome picture of nature, breathtaking scenery, kids caught being kids, a pet doing something funny or something unusual you happen to catch with your camera, we’d love to feature it on Patch.

We’re looking for high-resolution, horizontal images that reflect the beauty that is San Diego County, and that show off your unique talents.

Send your photos to [email protected]. Be sure to include photo credit information, when and where the shot was taken, and any other details about what was going on.